Paul Gleason Lead By Example Award

In 2024, The Paul Gleason “Lead By Example” lifetime achievement award was awarded to Pam McDonald, writer-editor for the National Interagency Fire Center. Read more about the 2024 Lead by Example and Lead by Example Lifetime Achievement Awards.

In 2019, the NWCG Leadership Committee awarded Jim Karels a Paul Gleason Lead by Example Lifetime Achievement Award in sincere appreciation for his service and leadership example. Read more about Jim Karels' years of service.

In 2010, Bud Moore's family received a LBE Lifetime Achievement Award in sincere appreciation and reverence for Bud's service and example. Read Bud Moore's Lead by Example Lifetime Achievement Award.

On April 27, 2005, the Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program awarded the first ever Paul Gleason Lead By Example Award - for Lifetime Achievement to Ted Putnam, PhD.  Read Ted Putnam's Lead by Example Lifetime Achievement Award.

A Paul Gleason Lead by Example Award nominee is likely going well above and beyond their job requirements. As a nominator, you are encouraged to go above and beyond in your nomination. Below are a few tips to help your chosen nominee be as competitive as possible: 

• Start the process of nominating a candidate early. You want to ensure you have time to consider all factors in your nomination.
• Do your best to place the nominee in the appropriate category. Many nominees fall into multiple (or all) categories. Select the category that best fits. You can still speak to all categories applicable in your write-up.
• Gather additional information and insights from other people with whom your nominee works.
  • What is the nominee’s influence in other committees, work groups, with peers, with subordinates, etc.
    • Ask the following people for input about the nominee:
      • Chairs/Co-Chairs of committees the nominee is on
      • Supervisors of the nominee
      • Peers of the nominee
      • Subordinates of the nominee
      • Forest/Park/State etc. leadership input
• Give specific examples of failures and successes in their efforts to make a difference.
  • Examples of failures can highlight resiliency.
• Speak to the scope of the nominee’s impact on the fire service. Does it have local, regional, national, or international impacts?
• Give tangible examples of the nominee’s work or accomplishments.
• Direct quotes from others regarding their efforts/achievements may be useful.
• Once the content is written, have multiple people read the nomination write-up to ensure it is professional, thorough, and grammatically correct.

What makes this award different from other firefighting awards?

This award was developed to recognize firefighters who lead by example and exemplify established wildland fire leadership values and principles. The values – Duty, Respect, Integrity – help guide the decisions and actions of each firefighter, especially those in leadership roles. The 11 leadership principles provide the specific actions leaders should take in order to demonstrate the core values. Principles such as “Know Yourself and Seek Improvement,” and “Make sound and timely decisions,” issue sound marching orders for firefighters, whether they are striving to become leaders or already fill a leadership role.

How do I nominate someone for an award?

First, you must choose the category under which your nominee will fall. The categories include 1) Mentoring and Teamwork; 2) Motivation and Vision; and 3) Initiative and Innovation. Second, you must write the nomination using the following criteria: 1) demonstration of significant accomplishment in the stated category; 2) alignment with the wildland fire leadership values and principles; and 3) scope of accomplishment, considering available resources. The award must be submitted by December 31, and include the name and unit of nominee, and name and unit of person submitting the nomination, as well as other important information.

How are the winners chosen?

Winners are chosen by January 31 each year by a panel consisting of people from the wildland firefighting community. Awards are presented the following spring.

Do the nominees have to be federal employees?

No, nominees can be employees of state, Tribal or local firefighting organizations. The important point is that they are setting the example for leadership in the wildland firefighting community.

Can I nominate a group of individuals?

Yes, nominees may be individuals or groups. The same categories and criteria apply for both.

Who is Paul Gleason?

In short, Paul Gleason was a leader. Paul succumbed to cancer in 2003 following a wildland fire career that spanned several decades. During his career Paul led and mentored firefighters, he studied and taught wildland fire, and through his contributions to the wildland fire community, improved firefighter safety. Paul developed the LCES (Lookout, Communication, Escape Routes, Safety Zones) concept that became the foundation of firefighter safety. When asked what he would like his legacy in fire to be, Paul said this: "I suppose I would want my legacy to be that firefighters begin to realize the importance of being a student of fire and that I was able to help make that happen."